HYDERABAD: The Supreme Court-appointed one-man judicial commission on Monday visited water supply and drainage installations in Hyderabad, Tando Allahyar and Mirpurkhas on Monday. It ordered rehabilitation of oxidation ponds in Tando Allahyar and filtration plants in Mirpurkhas.

Retired Justice Amir Hani Muslim, who heads the commission, was accompanying chairman of the SC-appointed task force Jamal Mustafa Syed, public health engineering (PHE) chief engineer Nafees Sheikh, Local Government Secretary Ramzan Awan, Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) head Masood Jumani, the Hyderabad Development Authority (HDA) director general and others.

Justice Muslim ordered de-silting of an otherwise abandoned Wadhu Wah (canal) that passes through Qasimabad. He was informed that around 180 sweepers were available with the Qasimabad Municipal Committee. The judge directed that all these sanitary workers be engaged to get Wadhu Wah cleaned.

In Ali Nagar, people informed the judge about broken sewerage line. He asked Mr Jumani to ensure its repair and get the problem resolved.

LG secretary Ramzan Awan informed the commission that a summary had been floated to the chief minister and an early approval was expected. The Wasa MD said that the HDA had been faced with serious financial problems ever since the building control department was created as a separate entity and HDA had been stripped of its authority to recover betterment charges. He said that the authority was given to the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA).

He directed the Wasa MD and SBCA director general to appear before the commission on Feb 24 in Karachi to discuss financial issues of HDA and Wasa.

In Tando Allahyar, the commission visited oxidation ponds for sewage treatment near Naseer canal. It was told that the ponds were not operational.

Justice Muslim said that the municipal or town committee concerned should bear the cost of rehabilitation of the scheme and the PHE should ensure execution.

MIRPURKHAS: In Mirpur­khas, the judge visited filtration plants near east and west Jamrao canal which were found dysfunctional. He was informed that the municipality concerned lacked technical expertise to run the plants. The officials accompanying the judge stated that around Rs5 million was required for the rehabilitation of each filtration plant. Justice Muslim said cost should be borne by the municipality or town committee concerned.

Justice Amir Hani Muslim also visited various water supply schemes in Satellite Town, Jar­wary Shakh and other areas in Mirpurkhas along with Deputy Comm­is­sioner Zahid Hussain Memon, chief municipal officer Shafique Ahmed Shah, PHE executive engineer Ahmed Abro and other officials.

During the visit to the Jarwary Shakh, the judge expressed his dissatisfaction over the recent operation for the removal of encroachments from along the water channel’s banks and irrigation department’s lands. He directed the officials to removal all such encroachments.

He also issued directives regarding preventive measures against disposal of effluent into waterworks to ensure supply of safe drinking water to citizens.

The judge asked the official in charge of Satellite Town water supply scheme to take immediate steps for keeping the reservoir clean. He also told PHE executive engineer Mr Abro to get the fallen parts of the outer wall of the installation reconstructed within the next two days.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2018